Gang Effects and Impact

There is a high rate of danger in our communities because of gangs. The FBI has estimated that at least 30,000 gangs with 800,000 members having an impact on 2,500 communities all over the United States. Fortunatley, there is an existing partnership between the law enforcement, schools, parents, community and faith-based groups and the youth to stop gang crime around th world.

Gangs are expanding worldwide, and as they expand they bring their forms of violence into the communities. Immigrants are frequently pulled into the gang life because language barriers, difficulty in employment, lack of support and protection, and fear leave them susceptible to the recruitment techniques used by gangs. Among those affected, youth suffer the most, with the brunt of gang activity squarely aimed at them.

Gang Impact on Schools

• Direct correlation with bullying, intimidation, and sexual harassment
• Greater Fear
• Creates Copy-cat Gangs
• Creates a sense that gangs are normal
• Market for narcotics sales
• Creates racial tensions

How Gangs Affect Young Kids
When kids of our community join gangs for protection or other things, they are forced to do much worse. In order to be let into the gang, you must do exactly what other members tell you to, even if it means killing someone. Joining a gang also risks the kids freedom. If you continue with criminal activities, it may take an average of 10 more years to get a good future. A non-gang member (a normal student) will finish school around his or her mid 20’s. A new gang member will start criminal activities, be caught by police, continue with gang activities, and eventually go to jail. By the time they get out and finish school they might be around their mid 30’s, and have wasted many years of their lives with their gang, when they could have done things like hang out with friends, earn a drivers license, go to their prom, etc. Furthermore, ex-gang members won’t have much of a future now that they have criminal activity on their records. So along with throwing away a fun and exciting childhood, they give up their chances to have the jobs they always wanted.

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